twentieth century, E. M. Forster's sweeping tale of prejudice and racial tension is set in colonial India at the turn of the century. As the Indian independence movement is gaining momentum but while the country is still under the rule of the British Raj, Dr. Aziz, a young Indian Muslim physician, befriends several English tourists in spite of expressions of caution from his Indian friends. What begins as an unexceptional but well-meaning sightseeing outing to a famous cave erupts into a misunderstanding with devastating consequences.